Women Veterans and Intentional Inclusivity · •2004- Col. Linda McTague, 1st woman to command a USAF Fighter Squadron •2008 Army Gen. Ann Dunwoody 1st woman to achieve 4 •2009

Women Veterans and Intentional Inclusivity

Elizabeth A. Estabrooks, MSSW

Oregon Women Veterans Coordinator

AAUW Oregon State Convention

April 21, 2018

Oregon Women Veterans Coordinator

Elizabeth Estabrooks

• Masters in Social Work, Columbia University

• B.S. in Gender Studies and Political Science, Eastern

Oregon University

• Focus on women, equitable services, safety, and women

veterans in particular

2

“Let the generations know that women in

uniform also guaranteed their freedom. That

our resolve was just as great as the brave men

who stood among us. And with victory our

hearts were just as full and beat just as fast -

that the tears fell just as hard - for those we

left behind."

-----Army Nurse WWII

• Who are we?

• What are our stories?

• Why are we important?

•Where are we?

The Invisible Woman Veteran

• Women have always served in both combat and

non-combat roles, but their service has been

unnoticed and lessened…

• Women have been invisible as service members

and veterans.

Yes they did

• Deborah Sampson, The American Revolution

• Sarah Emma Edmonds, Civil War

• Cathay Williams, Buffalo Soldier

• Ola Mildred Rexroat, WASP

• Eileen Collins, Space Shuttle Commander

We served because we could, when we could, where we could

Approximately 11,000 military women were deployed in Vietnam. 8 women were killed in combat. Cmdr. Elizabeth Barrett – 1st woman to hold command in a combat zone.

Vietnam War

1973 – 1986

1977/1978 – Separate but not equal lifted - WACs, WAVES, SPARS disbanded, integration into male units and co-ed training begins

(except Marines), including integrated basic training.

Numbers begin to rise.

1973 draft ended – 2% of

enlisted military were

women, 4% were officers.

By 1981 – 1986 Reagan begins dismantling Carter’s policies and setting women’s advances back. Co-ed basic training ends. Recruitment slows.

Women are there, but not officially

1998 – Female fighter

pilots fly combat

missions during 4 day

Iraqi bombing

offensive.

1991 – 1992 41,000

servicewomen

deploy. 2 women

taken POW

1991 – 1993 Congress authorizes

women to fly in combat missions

and serve on combat ships

1994 – DoD

declares

“Women

shall be

excluded

from

assignment

to units

below the

brigade level

whose

primary

mission is to

engage in

direct

combat on

the ground.”

Important markers

• 2003 – first Lioness (FETs) formed

• 2004- Col. Linda McTague, 1st woman to command a

USAF Fighter Squadron

• 2008 Army Gen. Ann Dunwoody 1st woman to achieve 4

• 2009 Lioness teams expand and become formal teams

• 2010 Navy rescinds male-only policy on submarines

The Camouflage Ceiling

• 1970 - First woman in the history of the military

to be promoted to Brigadier General

• 1996 – First woman in the history of the armed

forces to make 3 star rank

• 2008 – First woman in the history of the military

to make 4 star rank

• 2014 – First woman becomes 4 star admiral in

Navy’s 238 year history

Kristen Griest Shaye Haver First female soldiers ever to graduate from Ranger School

And still, it takes until 2016

Veterans are veterans.

What’s the so what?

15

OBJECTIVE

The Invisible Woman Veteran

Data

ResearchProgram Planning

VA

Society

In a 2016 Service Women’s

Action Network survey, 74

percent of the respondents said

that the general public did not

recognize their service

Policy, benefits and services, Oh My

• Promotions

• Benefits

• Retirement

• Services

Women Veterans Vs. Vet Population

Fastest growing veteran population!

18

The future is US

Baker,OR 135 Lake,OR 57

Benton,OR 530 Lane,OR 2,606

Clackamas,OR 2,550 Lincoln,OR 403

Clatsop,OR 343 Linn,OR 934

Columbia,OR 413 Malheur,OR 146

Coos,OR 610 Marion,OR 1,964

Crook,OR 144 Morrow,OR 65

Curry,OR 202 Multnomah,OR 3,510

Deschutes,OR 1,114 Polk,OR 630

Douglas,OR 1,004 Sherman,OR 10

Gilliam,OR 27 Tillamook,OR 161

Grant,OR 39 Umatilla,OR 425

Harney,OR 55 Union,OR 185

Hood River,OR 94 Wallowa,OR 60

Jackson,OR 1,662 Wasco,OR 184

Jefferson,OR 135 Washington,OR 3,029

Josephine,OR 694 Wheeler,OR 10

Klamath,OR 793 Yamhill,OR 692

OR Women Veterans by

County 2019

Total – 25,416

https://www.va.gov/vetdata/stateSummaries.asp

Women Veterans By the Numbers

• 220,000 have deployed to Iraq

• 73% had at least 1 combat experience

• 56% served during Gulf War Era (1990 to

present)

• In 2015, approximately 730,000 women enrolled

in VHA, approximately 456,000 use VHA

• Only 19% of Oregon WV enrolled in VA

What you don’t know hurts them

• Fastest growing homeless population

• Suicide rate increased by 85% from 2001 – 2014

• 1/3 have substance abuse issues but are

unidentified and untreated

• 59% of Oregon women veterans experience

some form of sexual assault, harassment or rape

while on active duty

• We aren’t men. Don’t treat us like them.

But I help all veterans

• Lack of data means lack of services

• Women veterans have unique experiences,

needs, challenges, and barriers

• Invisibility prevents you from serving them

• Gendering data, research, conversations,

program planning, and policies means serving

women veterans

Food for thought:

Intentional planning to prepare

for growing and aging population

of women veterans

Questions

Oregon Women Veterans Coordinator

Elizabeth Estabrooks, MSW

700 Summer St. NE

Salem, OR 97301

971-720-9116

[email protected]